Climate change

Climate change is a change in the pattern of weather, and related changes in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets, that occur over decades or longer.

While South Australia’s climate has always been highly variable, a strong warming trend has been observed since the 1970s. According to the latest data from the Bureau of Meteorology, average temperatures across the state have warmed almost one degree Celsius during the past century. Rainfall has also declined over most of the state since the 1970s, particularly for autumn and spring rainfall over the agricultural regions.